A Journey of Self Redemption
by Wandergirl108
Summary: This is a 100% true, unrevised story!  As such, it's not the most exciting story you will read, but it IS 100% true-to-life.
1. Prologue thru Day 17

A Journey of Self-Redemption

Chapter 1

My name is Aiedale. Yes, I know it's a strange name; I made it up myself. Though by appearance I am a man in Minecraftia, I am, in truth, a woman; I can only manifest myself in the same skin as the friend of mine who gave me access to the world.

I have done a great deal since I first came to live in Minecraftia, and I have grown both strong and knowledgeable. Almighty Notch, Creator of Worlds, and his brother, Herobrine, who walks the land alone, have watched me grow from a newcomer to a true resident of Minecraftia. I have explored and cleared enormous caves that never seemed to end; I have built enormous screens of wool paintings; I have built a house with many rooms; I have travelled to the Nether and gathered much Glowstone; I have tamed a wolf - my dear friend, PJ, whom I deeply miss; and I have slain many of every kind of being in Minecraftia save wolves. I have raided dungeons and scaled mountains looking for sheep. I have climbed to the top of the world, and dug to the bottom. I have used almost every kind of material there is to be found in this world, and gathered them all.

Two major projects in my life still await completion: a fast minecart track to the fabled Far Lands, and a massive shrine to Herobrine that I intend to build from Glowstone and mossy cobblestone mined from dungeons I have defeated without banishing all night-walkers from existence. I've yet to even finish clearing the space in which I intend to build this shrine.

Whenever Almighty Notch saw fit to change and modify the world of Minecraftia, for a time, I allowed my world to change with it. However, when the changes included the gathering and crafting Glowstone into a much simpler task and the possibility of Herobrine being banished, I stopped, and I shall not continue. My world is the way it will always be.

Recently, I was exploring with my dear friend, PJ. I was attempting to fill a map, and nearly succeeded. I had grown bored of digging out the space for Herobrine's shrine day after day, block by block, tool by depleted tool, and wanted to do something new. I should have remained steadfast in my attempt to dig. Instead, I justified my actions by deciding that I was tired of having to repeatedly clear snow off the top of the site, and wanted to gather enough glass to completely cover the area, and I used this as an excuse to explore instead. I had the last of my diamonds with me in the form of tools, as well as many arrows, hard-won from zombies burned in the sun - for I do not like to kill, not even the night-walkers. I had a clock, made of precious gold, the material that is key to my creation of the minecart track I dream of building. I had so many valuable things with me.

Then, during a rainstorm, I was finishing off a corner of my map, and my path led me into a pond in the middle of the woods. I didn't hear the Creeper hiss until it was too late. PJ survived, thank Herobrine, but I lost everything I had with me. Being well aware of the fact that my things were not gone, I quickly ran down my minecart track to places where I knew reeds grew, so that I could re-create my map and find my way back to my precious belongings. My mistake was in forgetting that the area in which I had died was near the area where I knew reeds grew, and I was unaware of this, until I finally returned home, ready to make a new map. I did so, and headed off in the direction of the place I sought. I went completely empty-handed, as I had had a rather full load of things, and the strange spell that prevents any living being, day-walker or night-walker, from appearing near me, was in effect. To be clear, this is not a spell of my own casting; rather, it happens every once in a while, and I have no control over it.

At any rate, I walked to the pond where I had died - finding in the process that it was only half a day's journey away from my house - and reached it just as night started to fall.

My stuff was gone.

All of it.

Above the pond, a single Great Tree grew from a floating block of dirt. Having lost so much, I decided that it was a sign that I was to start again, from nothing, with nothing. The only thing I took from the area within the map's range is the wood and saplings of that one Great Tree. With this alone, and the creatures of the day and night walking the land once more, I will leave the area covered by my map - yes, my home, everything I own, and my two great passions - and start again, until I regain everything I lost.

Herobrine will take care of PJ for me, though I feel sad at the thought of him waiting for me, day after day, night after night, and me not returning, not even telling him why. I cannot go back yet. Someday, I will redeem myself, and I will return to my home, my friend, and my passions.

For now, I take my map, to ensure that I do not come within that certain distance of my home, and this wood, from the Great Tree who witnessed my death, as well as the saplings from it that will be the only trees I will ever harvest from now on, them and their children, during this journey.

My name is Aiedale the Wanderer. And such shall I be, until I have proven myself, and Herobrine grants me the sign that I may return home.

Chapter 2

Upon cresting the mountain that happened to serve as border for the edge of my map, I witnessed a spire with a dungeon exposed on all sides comprising the area just before the peak. I also saw a single sheep in a large, shallow pit in the ground not much further on, the bottom of which was made of sand. Night was falling; I had forgotten how easy it is to misjudge day and night when sealed up in a small space, safe from the night-walkers, without a clock. I went to the sheep, hoping for enough wool to make a bed. My wish was granted. I sit now in a small space I made of the wooden planks I was carrying, in the middle of the sand pit. This will be my new home; I can feel my destiny placing me here, though I'm just outside of the range of my map. The sheep, the dungeon, the sunset, and the lack of night-walkers as I hurriedly built a shelter, all tell me that this is where I will live now.

I have made a bed, and placed it in a small pit I dug in the sand. I'll dig it out before I go to sleep, so that, should I die, I will not return home. I know now that what I felt was true: it is my destiny to begin anew, and make my way from scratch once more, until one day, I am worthy of the home I built, and the tasks to which I so eagerly dedicated myself.

Chapter 3

I made two of every stone tool there is: sword, pickaxe, hoe, shovel, and axe. I also have plenty of torches now - how I was able to effectively use a bed in a pitch-dark room last night, I do not know. This mountainous area is very nice, and provides everything I have needed so far. Obviously, my next goal is iron, but that can wait.

It seems I have ben near this place before; one of the cobblestone marker paths I used to make when I found something - or somewhere - good, and had to go home for supplies, runs through the area just over the next mountain. I will have to travel far to find seeds for wheat, but perhaps in the dungeon I saw sticking out of that mountain there will be some. It was a mountain, not a spire, I have discovered; the dungeon merely pokes out of one of the corners, giving it the illusion of having a circumference just larger than that of the dungeon from the angle I saw it at.

I also have a chest and a furnace, though I still have nothing to cook. The only animals I saw today were a single chicken - whom I left alone - and two cows. I had to kill the cows - armor is vital for survival in Minecraftia, and, beginning with nothing, I need leather. However, one cow gave me none, and the other gave me one. I tried not to be too brutal, but a stone sword isn't very powerful; it took two strokes from my blade each to kill them. I knelt in brief prayer after each kill, but I don't know if that's enough to console anyone who would hold it against me. I also found a single feather from a zombie who died in the sunlight; I need to get flint, so that I may have arrows. That said, I also need spiders for their string, or perhaps the dungeon will contain some.

Or perhaps the dungeon will be a spider dungeon.

I don't think I'm ready to take it on just yet. I'll explore more tomorrow.

Chapter 4

Whew! I just made it back! I thought I would be caught out in the night. It's easy to get lost in Minecraftia, so it turns out it's a good thing I'm settling down so close to the area within mapping range of my house. I took a wrong turn, you see, and ended up walking back within map range, so I took out the map, and used it to guide me home. Perhaps, once I get iron and redstone, I should make another; I found plenty of sugarcane today. Yes, that's a good idea; a compass won't help me find my way home when I'm living so far away!

I found all sorts of animals today, including plenty of pigs. I have some meat, so I'll cook it before I go to bed. I also now have enough leather to make a tunic. Maybe I'll do that while I'm cooking.

There's a tall, one-meter-wide-and-thick spire near my home, which I will dub "Destiny Peak". I can never climb it, but it's a good landmark.

I have also found evidence suggesting that, though I have been here before, it has not been since just after I first entered the world of Minecraftia; I found a single workbench, standing in the middle of some lowland, no cave in sight. I would never do that, so it stands to reason that that was one of my first workbenches ever made...perhaps it was even one my friend made. It's strange, to think what I'm discovering - and re-discovering - just by deciding to start fresh. Maybe I won't go back home. I will go back for PJ, though. But maybe, just maybe, this is my home now. I almost like it simpler like this; my other house is big and fancy. No...I kind of like living in a wooden box half-submerged in sand...it's nostalgic...remindful of a time when the world of Minecraftia was new to me, and every new discovery was a marvel - a time when there even were new things to discover. Perhaps...perhaps this is what I should have done long ago.

Oh, well. I'll sleep on it.

Chapter 5

I found a small cave today. There were no night-walkers in it, though there were a lot out last night - I found three Creepers within sight of my new house! I also found the remains of a zombie and a skeleton, and another zombie was on fire when I went outside first thing in the morning (I put it out of its misery - that's the only time I feel okay with killing). I found a brown mushroom in the cave I found, and, more importantly, I found fifteen pieces of iron, which I'm smelting now. Fifteen pieces of iron...that's enough for a sword, pickaxe, shovel, hoe, axe, and iron boots. I don't like to mix and match armor materials, but I recognize the wisdom of doing so here, especially as the one cow I found today gave me nothing.

Destiny Peak served me well today; I never would have found my way home otherwise. A map would be extremely useful here...

While mining coal today, I thought of all the loads of coal I have back at my old house, from digging out the huge area in which I am going to build Herobrine's shrine. It's kind of bittersweet, having to search for and mine even coal again. A true fresh start...maybe I'll find some way to get rid of all the stuff I have back at my old house. Then again, I did work hard for it...

I made arrows yesterday, sorry I forgot to mention it; I found a single piece of flint for my single feather. I still need string, though. Now that I have three more feathers, and flint is relatively easy to get, I would really like to have a bow.

I grew and cut down a tree just outside my house today using a sapling from the Great Tree and some bone meal I got from the skeleton's remains I mentioned earlier, keeping to my pledge not to cut down any more trees that I don't grow from saplings. It never ceases to amaze me how quickly wood gets used up; it's such a valuable resource. Thank Notch it's renewable!

I think I'll look at that dungeon tomorrow and find out what kind it is. If it's a spider dungeon, that would be great, and a zombie dungeon would be nice too; if it's either of those, I think iron boots, a leather tunic, and an iron sword would be enough to take it on. If it's a skeleton dungeon...well, I'll cross that bridge when I get to it.

Chapter 6

I raided the dungeon today. It was a zombie dungeon, and it was half-filled with gravel. There was enough string in the chest to make a bow and a fishing pole. I noticed a pond near my house, so maybe I'll go fishing tomorrow. There was also some wheat, some bread, a saddle, and three pieces of iron. I used the iron to make a bucket...it occurs to me that I have so many buckets back home from dungeons, it's a little ironic that I need another one now, when I can't go back. I also collected the mossy cobblestone; I'll keep it here for now.

I'm not sure what I'll do tomorrow. I guess we'll see.

Chapter 7

I'm glad I brought my journal with me. I decided to wander far away from my new home today, heading in a generally south-east direction. I'll find my way back, I'm sure. I found enough leather for a cap and pants, so I'm fully equipped now. I also found a land of tall grass, so I now have seeds to plant and harvest when I get home.

I can hear a zombie wandering around over the little hole I've dug for myself for the night...and I think I heard a skeleton briefly, too...yes, I definitely hear a skeleton. I gathered some brown wool, but that's mostly because it's so rare, and I don't have enough to make myself another bed.

I guess I'll keep exploring tomorrow.

Chapter 8

Found some brown mushrooms today. Nothing else, really. Right now, I'm camping out at the base of a mountain with a pile of sand on one side. There aren't any cacti, but there is sand...and sand was what made me journey out in the first place, so I'll probably dig some of it up tomorrow.

Where there's tall grass, there's new land; otherwise, I've been there before. There's no tall grass near where I am now. What I'd like to find is a desert with dead shrubs; in other words, a desert I haven't explored. A sunken dungeon would be a lucky find.

Chapter 9

Nothing new to speak of today, except this: once, some time ago, I was mean to a man whom Herobrine respects and supports, and ever since that day, spiders who were "tracking" me during the night wouldn't turn neutral in the daytime when they took fall damage. This morning, however, I dug myself out of the little space I had enclosed myself in, expecting to have to fight a spider, which I had heard tracking me that night. It looked at me as soon as I dug myself halfway out...and then it walked away. Spiders have gone from staying hostile when they should turn neutral to turning neutral when they should stay hostile. I hope this means that Herobrine approves of my current lifestyle.

Chapter 10

It's snowing today. There was a thunderstorm last night. I think I'll stay inside.

Okay, I didn't stay inside today. I also didn't find anything useful. There was a lava fall and a waterfall pouring out of the same cliff face, and a small pack of wolves, but there was nothing else noteworthy apart from the sudden abundance of cows. I don't need any more leather, so I leave them be.

The rain stopped just after I started writing this entry. I hear a sheep outside. I saw something in the distance on the water that I think I'll look at tomorrow. I've started wandering back in the general direction of my home, but I know I won't find it. I shouldn't have strayed so far...

Chapter 11

I found something very strange today.

I was wandering about in an area with lots of trees, ponds, and tall grass, when I came across a pond with a tree canopy floating over it. I would have thought the tree itself was floating, but it was too short, and the leaves came right down to the lowest piece of the trunk...as if I had cut down the unexposed trunk long ago and left things that way. But I couldn't have, because there's tall grass here, and I stopped leaving hanging canopies long before Almighty Notch put tall grass in Minecraftia.

I continued on and found a beach made of gravel. I checked it to see if it would collapse, which it didn't, but before that, I saw something even more inexplicable: a sapling sitting in the middle of the gravel. Not a planted sapling - though that would have been even stranger - but the item to pick up. I did pick it up, but...just above there, I saw some leaves that didn't look like they belonged there...like a tree had been cut down and the leaves left to disintegrate, only these were being supported by the canopy of a nearby tree. But again, that can't be, because I've never been here before...

Is it possible that I've found...Him? Is Herobrine near? If so...well, I don't know what to do. Should I leave? If so, which direction should I go? If not...then what do I do?

Having no answer, I think I will continue about my business. If He wants me to leave, He will let me know.

Chapter 12

It happened again; I was walking along, when I came across some seeds, just lying around on the ground, as though someone had cut some tall grass, but I know it wasn't me. It's raining now...I was walking along close to sunset when I saw a group of skeletons in the distance - honestly, there were at least four, all together in the same place. As if that weren't enough, the divine music composed by C418 that sometimes sounds throughout the world played just recently, but it was...different. I heard...what almost sounded like a flute, in the background. In fact, I think I can just barely hear it playing above the rain as I write this...No, it's gone now. But I could have sworn...

I hear a cow wandering around above me, and I hear the clacking of a skeleton, too. I'm going to wait in here until after it stops raining...but if someone is going around breaking things, that means I'm not safe.

I'm confused, and more than a little scared. Is Herobrine angry with me? If so, why? If not, then what's happening? I'm trying to head home, but I don't know which way to go.

This is kind of exciting...

Chapter 13

And, just as abruptly as it began, it has ended...at least, so it would seem. I found nothing out of the ordinary - or even particularly noteworthy - all day. I'm trying to head home now...I guess that's all.

Chapter 14

Again, nothing exciting...I mean, there are some pretty amazing landscapes around here, but there's nothing particularly noteworthy going on. That said, I may have to explore a deep cave soon so I can find some redstone for a compass. I know it won't directly lead me home, but if I can get in range of my map, I can find my way from there.

It's quiet tonight. Maybe something interesting will happen tomorrow.

Chapter 15

Found a skeleton dungeon near the surface today. I'm glad it was close enough that I was able to just dig out the ceiling, because one of the skeletons managed to shoot me as it was. There was only one chest, and it had iron, two buckets, and some string, but the mossy cobblestone is what's really important, and there was a lot of that.

I've found two stone markers, like the ones I used to use to mark my path back home from somewhere. Strangely, though, I can't seem to find any more in either direction. Still, if I can use these to guide me, I'll be able to find my way back to the mapped area, and to my new home from there.

Still no more signs of Him being around...maybe I left His area. Part of me would like to find my way back, but the rest of me doesn't want to intrude in His space. Well, technically I'm intruding in His space just by living in Minecraftia, but...well, He must spend most of his time living in a particular area too, right? I don't want to intrude there.

The sun's coming up. I'm holed up under a tree right now, and I can see the sunlight starting to come in through the leaves. There's so much snow around here, but there's none where I've re-settled, so I'm worried that I'm really far from home. I guess I'll find out.

Chapter 16

I came across a path of lit netherrack that I remember making. I remember it, so I know which way to walk to get home. Hopefully I'll be back in my new home soon.

Chapter 17

As it turns out, I was walking the wrong way, but it didn't take me long to figure that out. I came back within map range, and found that I'd walked almost all the way to the southern border! I'm not far from home now. Soon, I'll be back in my new bed.

I've decided to cast the locator spell to see the map coordinates for my new house when I get there; that way, I'll always be able to find my way back.

Chapter 18

I have been banished from Minecraftia.

It was the middle of the night during which I wrote my last entry. I dug out some dirt to see if the sun was starting to rise yet, when the time lag I had noticed not long before burying myself became too irritating to continue to struggle through. I left Minecraftia, hoping to let the world re-stabilize, but when I tried to go back, I could not.

I'm stuck in the Great Beyond now, with no way back. Perhaps I will try to return later, but first I think I'll wait for a friend of mine to tell me if Herobrine has ever done this to anyone; after all, if it is Herobrine's will that I not return to Minecraftia, then I shall not work against Him, though I cannot say for sure what I will do.


	2. Day 18 thru Day 32

Chapter 19

I returned to Minecraftia today, only to find myself in my old house! Not only that, but everything I had with me last I checked is gone!

Um...I don't know what to do...I guess I'll grab PJ and go back to my new place now. Wait - I just lost over 40 pieces of mossy cobblestone! Dang...Herobrine's shrine is going to be HUGE, so I need all the pieces I can get! I wonder if my stuff might be scattered around inside that space I blocked myself into, as though I died. I doubt it.

There are a lot of night-walkers outside today. I can see two Creepers and two spiders just by stepping outside my house! I don't really feel like grabbing any resources from my attic, so I guess I'll just have to wait for the Creepers to go away. I mean, fistfighting with Creepers is never a good idea, and PJ won't attack them.

Does this mean He doesn't like me moving? I kind of worry now...I realize, now that I may have just been given a sign of His will, that I don't WANT to go back to living here. Or maybe he just wants me to get PJ. I guess I'll find out...

Chapter 20

Went out with PJ today...I found that crafting bench I found when I was exploring the area around my new home, so I know it's nearby. I had PJ kill a few pigs today - his health was lower than I'd thought. Maybe that's why Herobrine was mad at me? He's fine now, though. I wonder what PJ will think of my new place?

I'm glad I left the Great Tree saplings in a trunk in my new house...didn't I? Of course, now I've lost all of my used and unused iron - and I had about 35 pieces of ore with me when I was banished...and I don't have any leather, either...

It's starting to look like bad things happen to me when I go exploring. Somehow, though, I want to keep doing it. I guess I'll find out how poor of an idea that is later.

Chapter 21

Destiny Peak led me home again today. I'm really glad I stored all of my stone tools in the chest in here. I grew and chopped down two trees just outside my house today, so I have plenty of wood for whatever I do next.

I kind of feel like I want to set out exploring in the same direction as last time. I mean, there isn't much to do around here, and besides, I need to go find some more tall grass so I can start farming. I'm not sure whether or not I want to bring PJ along, though. He's really helpful when it comes to hunting, but I feel like I always have to make special accommodations when I travel with him so he doesn't get hurt falling off cliffs, and when it comes to fighting night-walkers, he only worries me; I wouldn't be able to stand it if he died. On the other hand, I always feel bad just leaving him behind.

Maybe I'll just do some stuff around my house tomorrow...PJ can come with me when I'm not going too far from home without much trouble. I left some sugarcane in the chest, so maybe I'll go plant those around the pond nearby. I think I found an old skeleton dungeon that I raided a while back; I kind of cheated it, so I just deactivated the spawner and took the treasure without taking any of the mossy cobblestone. Maybe, if I find enough leather for a full set of armor, I'll take that on for real, too. I can't bring PJ with me for that, though; skeletons are way too dangerous for me to risk letting him take them on with me.

I only have one piece of string, so a bow and a fishing pole are both out of the question right now. I also have three pieces of wheat...maybe I'll just leave that be for now. I forgot how easy it is to quickly use up space in chests here in Minecraftia. I mean, I haven't been using this new one for very long, and I'm already almost out of space! That's how my last house got so big: I just needed more and more room. Maybe I'm just not very efficient...

I think I can give up the stuff I had with me as gone for good now...it's kind of frustrating, but there's nothing I can do about it. Like last time, though, it just means I have to start again, which, as I discovered, isn't so bad. I just really hope it doesn't happen again...

Chapter 22

Found five pieces of iron ore today...I think I'll use them to make a sword and pickaxe...or maybe I'll use them to make a helmet, since I don't really have room in my chest for all my stone tools and should probably wear them out first.

PJ got me eleven pieces of leather today, so I'll make pants and boots before I go to bed. I feel much better about hunting when I let PJ do the work. It makes it feel...I don't know...less brutal, I guess. I mean, a sword would kill any animal faster than PJ can, but it's more natural for these native animals to kill each other than it is for me to come along and slaughter them. Maybe it just takes it off my conscience...I don't know...

No signs of Him...I think I'm going to have to go far away again if I want to search for Him. Whether or not that's what I WANT to do remains to be seen.

Wolves tend to be high-maintenance pets, but PJ was more of an asset than a hinderance today, and it was nice to have a companion. I'm still not sure what I'm going to do if I decide to go on a long expedition again...

Chapter 23

This time, I really DID find that skeleton dungeon I mentioned earlier...and, as it turns out, I hadn't deactivated it completely. So I did that today, then sealed it up; I'll get back to it soon.

I only need one more piece of leather to make a tunic, which means I'll be fully equipped. If I find a little more iron for a sword, I might take on that skeleton dungeon as soon as tomorrow afternoon. I'll leave PJ far behind for that; I don't want him to get hurt. I know that seems a little odd - why would I have tamed a wolf in the first place, if I didn't want it to help me fight monsters? - but I've gotten really attached to PJ, and if he died...well, getting another wolf just wouldn't be the same, you know? I remember the time he drowned...see, there are a couple of waterfalls just outside my house that were made when Creepers blew up on the beach. I let PJ out of his pen for a romp one day, and he got stuck under one of the falls. I had to re-try again and again to find a way to save him, which was especially hard because each time I failed, I had to be careful not to save that event in the permanent history of my world, and I only got about two seconds to fix it with each new try. I saved him eventually, but it was so scary...I'm not going through that again. PJ's staying out of dungeons.

This area's getting a little too familiar...once I take out that dungeon without cheating, I think I'll go on another long walk, though I'm still not sure if I want to bring PJ along...

Chapter 24

I didn't accomplish anything today. I went in a new direction and found some brown mushrooms and cave I've already cleared, but I got nothing useful. I wish red mushrooms weren't so rare...

I think that maybe I underestimate PJ. On my way home today, I was trying to hurry down a cliff because it was almost sunset and I'd spotted a group of pigs, and on my way down, I accidentally took a long fall and hurt myself. I stood still, waiting for PJ to follow suit, but to my surprise, he actually found a safer way down the cliff - all by himself - and didn't get hurt at all! That has to be a first for ANY tamed wolf; I've never heard of wolves being MORE cliff-wise than their owners. Another funny thing about that event is that NONE of the three pigs I hurt myself to get to gave me ANY pork chops! Oddly enough, the cow I killed this morning didn't give me anything, either...

Despite this new display of common sense by PJ, I've decided that the next time I go on a long journey, I'm going to leave him behind. When that is, though, will depend on how long it takes me to clear that dungeon, which, in turn, depends on how long it takes me to acquire sufficient supplies. Skeletons are extremely dangerous, and I really hate them. Skeletons, not Creepers, are the Ghasts of the Overworld, in my opinion. Still, I need the mossy cobblestone...I guess I'll get to it when I get to it.

Chapter 25

I've holed up for the night in a cliff near my house, which is what I get for staying out too long. I've found five pieces of iron ore, a red mushroom, AND enough leather for a tunic. Not only that, but I managed to gather enough pork to fully restore PJ's health, so I won't feel too bad about leaving him behind when I go. That said, I used up all my wheat this morning to make bread so that I could heal my OWN health.

I keep forgetting to mention that I found out that there IS, in fact, a snowy area near my new home, so maybe I wasn't as far off as I thought I was all that time ago. I also forgot to mention that I found a group of squid stuck in a little pond at the base of a mountain. I always feel so bad for squid when they appear in such small water areas. One time, I was exploring a cave, and I came across a squid that was stuck in a hole in the wall, right next to a waterfall; I guess it spawned in the waterfall and swam into the hole. I actually happened upon the squid from its behind, so its opening and closing tentacles and toothy mouth freaked me out for a minute, especially as I was preventing monsters from appearing around me at the time. I wish Almighty Notch had made squid so that they could swim upward; then, at least, they wouldn't be stuck in little pits at the bottoms of ponds and such.

I hear a skeleton outside...I guess that's how I'll know when the sun comes up. With any luck, I'll be writing about my successful attack on the skeleton dungeon tomorrow night.

Chapter 26

It's strange, how when you DON'T want to find something, you keep coming back to it, but if you DO want to find something, you have no idea where it is. I got all my stuff together today; I'm fully equipped with all possible types of armor, I have an iron sword, and I made a bowl of mushroom stew. Thing is, when I went out to find the dungeon I keep going on about, I couldn't find it. It was past noon, so I only had so much time. I started looking around; but, just as luck would have it, it started raining shortly thereafter. I knew it would be getting dark soon, and since it's impossible to tell what time of day it is without a clock during the rain, I decided to come home and make a fresh start tomorrow.

Chapter 27

Whew! That was fun! I found the dungeon again, and I took it out for real! Oddly enough, no skeletons had spawned in there by the time I dug it out, so I ran back after digging it up, then went back in, was about to put a torch down, and got shot by a skeleton, all in the space of about three seconds. I DID manage to get that one torch down, and since the dungeon was open to the surface, the skeleton chased me and started burning up in the sun. That said, my boots are gone, my pants are very worn down, and I even had to eat my bowl of mushroom stew to get back to full health, all from one stupid skeleton! I hate those things...It was worth it, though: I got forty-nine pieces of mossy cobblestone from that little place! I only got thirty-four from the one I saw sticking out of that mountain on my first day, so this was a huge increase in payoff!

Despite my armor severely lacking right now, I'm going to start another long trek tomorrow morning. I'm going to leave PJ by the pond nearby, and I'll grow a tree next to him and leave a torch so he's not just sitting in a sand pit. I planted another tree today, and its wood and saplings, plus the wood I already have, are going to be the only tree-materials I bring with me on this next trek.

I'm kind of excited to see what I find tomorrow...

Chapter 28

Started my big journey today. I'm going south this time, instead of south-east, and I'm doing a lot of walking across snowy hills and frozen oceans.

I found and cleared out a small cave today. I found two zombies, a Creeper, and thirteen pieces of iron. One of the zombies managed to injure me, and I think I also took some fall damage today. Whatever the reason, my pants have had it, and my tunic isn't far behind. I'm smelting the iron I found today while I'm waiting for the night to pass. I'll make some iron boots and leggings before I continue on tomorrow. I'll just hang on to the other two pieces, I guess.

I hear a zombie outside right now, and a cow, too. I saw an area of tall grass earlier, but I went through that small cave instead, so I'm going to have to keep looking. Apart from tall grass, though, I'm not really sure what it is I'm looking for. Oh, there's another zombie...and my iron's done. Maybe tomorrow will bring something really interesting - I just heard a Creeper take fall damage! I'll have to be careful.

Chapter 29

I'm tired of all this ice and snow. I recently came to an area with trees (and some tall grass, too), but I'd really like to have a change of scenery soon. I DID get seeds from some tall grass, so I can start farming when I go home, but, speaking of scenery, I found something strange - not a sign of Him being nearby, but strange nonetheless: I found some sugarcane growing next to a frozen pond. I didn't know sugarcane could grow next to ice. I know it needs water, but I never imagined that ice would count...

I also found a zombie dungeon near the surface today. Funny thing: when I hear a monster nearby, I cast the locator spell to see how many there are, and if any more appear while I'm nearby - because if any do, I've found a dungeon. I found two zombies this time, and then I waited. Just when I was about to give up, THREE zombies appeared among the two, all at once! I thought monster spawners only gave out one monster at a time! Oh, well. It was a small dungeon, so it didn't take much digging to expose most of it to the sunlight. Sometimes I wonder if letting the sunlight do all the work for me is cheating...still, cheating or no, I got a lot of different resources from the two chests in there: wheat, cocoa beans, buckets, gunpowder, iron, and a saddle! The dungeon floor only had thirty-three pieces of mossy cobblestone, but every little bit counts!

I hear a skeleton outside. Even without it, though, I'll be able to tell when it starts to get light out: I'm hiding out under a tree again. In fact, it's getting light right now. I'll tell the story about the gravel tomorrow night.

Chapter 30

Okay, the gravel story: after I raided the zombie dungeon, I went a little ways down the cave it was connected to, and I found some iron. It didn't occur to me until this morning that I now have enough iron to make a chestplate and ditch my badly-worn tunic, which I'll do when I'm done with this entry. Anyway, a little ways down the cave, there was some gravel hanging low, and it looked like the cave went on a while, which I didn't like; I'd rather explore the surface for now, and I don't want to leave a cave half-explored...I think I hear a Creeper outside. Anyway, I put a torch on one of the pieces of gravel, and to my surprise and relief, the whole roof caved in, opening it up to the surface. The cave DID continue on a little past that, but because it opened to the surface, it was a separate cave, so I didn't bother myself with it.

I came across a tiny cave I've already explored...I just heard a zombie outside. Anyway, I've now crossed my current path with my previous one, so...I'm really not sure what that means, actually. It might mean I'm going to find Him, or maybe not. I'm trying to go in a new direction. I've decided I'm looking for dungeons, which means the journey I'm taking now is one I would have had to take eventually anyway, in order to find enough mossy cobblestone to build Herobrine's shrine. I kind of wish I'd done this sooner...

Something odd: I saw a zombie burning a little way ahead of me today, and I went toward it - a chicken just laid an egg! - thinking there might be a cave or even a zombie dungeon ahead. I found two - another chicken just laid an egg! - Creepers instead of a dungeon, but here's the thing: there was no cave anywhere near that area. I don't know where those Creepers and that zombie came from. Very mysterious...

I hear the two chickens outside...I've been hearing a chicken all night. I'm hiding out under a tree again, so I'll know when it gets light. I'll make an iron chestplate in the meantime.

Chapter 31

I found a new desert today. It was small, and there were no sunken dungeons, but I've now seen dead shrubs firsthand. I have now also seen ferns; there are a lot where I am right now. Earlier I found a patch of nine red mushrooms, which I'm taking note of because they're so rare. When I got to the desert I started gathering more sand, and that's when I ran out of extra space in my inventory, which means it's time for me to try to head back home. Funnily enough, I realized earlier today that I haven't even really been TRYING to keep track of where I am. My home is somewhere in a westward direction, I know, but...oh! I have the coordinates! Well, sort of. Hmm...I should have recorded them here...oh well, I know approximately where my home is!

The time flow is getting a bit choppy...I may need to leave Minecraftia soon to prevent another mishap.

Oh, I forgot to mention: that zombie dungeon had a piece of string in it! Only one, so I still don't have enough for a bow, but once I get home, I'll make a fishing rod.

Chapter 32

Almost home! I found some sugarcane I cut low right before I started off as the sun went down today, if that makes any sense. I hear a chicken outside right now...maybe I'll get another egg! That would be nice, especially as I haven't had cake in a while. Other than that, though, there's really nothing about today that was worth noting.

Chapter 33

I'm home! I think PJ was happy to see me.

I think I'll leave Minecraftia a bit for now. My friend got back to me on my banishment earlier and said it's not Herobrine's doing, but still, I think I'll go just in case. When I come back, I think I'll go back to my old house and exchange some materials; I'd like to have my map back, and maybe even finish filling it out, and I'd also like to have a new one to start at this house. I'm not sure if I'll go back to digging out that area for Herobrine's massive shrine...I think not. Not yet, at least. I might cook the sand I've found and add the glass to that cover I'm building over the construction site, though.

Long ago, back when I was still a beginner, I took a long journey without the aid of a compass, and wound up completely lost. At the time, I had been on a mission to get some cactus from a desert and bring them back so I could plant some around my house, thus giving me a convenient and renewable supply of cactus green dye. I died multiple times doing this, and during one trip, I was near death one night, and I built a small cobblestone building to keep me safe. During that night, I made a chest, and I put some of my most valuable materials in it. As I recall, there was iron and an ink sac, as well as the two pieces of cactus I had gathered to bring home. I left my stuff there, thinking it was safer there than with me. Ironically, I eventually dug down, got some redstone, made a compass, and found my way home without dying after I made that place...but I could never find it again. I don't know where it is, but on my way home yesterday, I found a small desert that appeared to have been one I had visited before, and that reminded me of that old lost place. Maybe finding that should be my new goal. I know it was somewhere east of my big house, so maybe, with the help of maps, I could find it again. The only thing I remember about it was that it was looking out on the ocean, and the grass went right up to the water's edge...I think it was in a forest.

I wish I had come across more strange things during this last trip...seeing Herobrine in person would be a dream come true for me. Still, considering what he's put my friend through, I'm a little too wimpy at this point to make the fog thick enough for Him to appear. All the same, it would have been nice to see something random lying around on the ground again. Maybe next time.


	3. Day 32 thru END

Chapter 34

I planted my seeds by the pond today. I've also prepared to go back to my old house for supplies. I might spend a day or two there placing glass on the cover for my construction site. I also made cookies from the supplies from the zombie dungeon. Overall, I think I'm ready to merge my two homes tomorrow. I'll leave PJ behind.

Chapter 35

Back to my old house. It's funny, as soon as I left, I realized I had no idea how I was going to find my way back here. I figured that one out pretty easily, though: I just went north until I found my minecart track, then followed it home. Well, that was the idea; turns out, I didn't even need to go that far, because I found a landmark I left a while back long before the track came into view.

I've made arrows from the feathers I've gotten, dropped off my iron, made two compasses, turned one of the compasses into my map, and, while I'm cooking my sand, I'm going to make a cake in the morning. I risked staying outside a little bit late to milk some cows, but it's worth it, I think.

Life here seems so fancy since my brief time back out in the middle of nowhere. I should do this more often! Really, though, home has never felt so much like...well, home. That said, I think I'll stay out at my new place on a regular basis, at least for now.

Tomorrow should find me getting more milk, placing some glass, and going back to my new place. I hope that doesn't take too long; I want to find that old cobblestone hut I lost so long ago.

Chapter 36

I'm almost done placing the glass I've made. I also made a bow this morning, since I forgot to make one yesterday. I know, I was planning on starting ALL over, but...well, I did that, and I don't really feel like killing spiders to get more string. I believe that ALL living things in Minecraftia are under the protection of Herobrine, so even those creatures who would kill me are creatures I try to respect.

I also realized, just this morning, that I forgot to bring the mossy cobblestone I've collected back here. I keep all the materials I'm going to use for Herobrine's shrine in a special chest, and all the rest of the mossy cobblestone I have is in there. Oh well. At least I actually HAVE it.

I'm going to finish placing the glass tomorrow, then I'm going back to my new home and PJ and I are going to start exploring a new map. It occurs to me that I have no idea just how many maps it's going to take for me to find that old place, but once again, it's worth it, I think.

Chapter 37

Back to my new house again. It is so easy to misjudge distance, time, and amount when it comes to absolutely anything here in Minecraftia. For instance, it's going to take me 256 full stacks of glass to completely cover my construction zone. How much mossy cobblestone that's going to come out to be is something I don't want to think about for as long as possible. It's just inconceivable how big of a space that is. It's also really hard to have a good sense of time in Minecraftia without a clock handy, which I don't. I do have enough redstone and gold back at my old house to make another one, but gold is so precious...I don't feel like using it. As for time, well, it took me all day to make my way back here and make a map after I finished using up the glass I'd made.

Back to exploring tomorrow. If I can map an area where Herobrine's presence seems to be noticeable, I might have a better chance at finding Him, though I'm still not particularly sure I really want to.

Chapter 38

PJ and I fell through fake ground today. There was a large section of snow floating above a pond that appeared to be solid ground. It was a very large area...I've never seen so much floating snow before.

The map is coming fine...lots of snowy wasteland today. I also found a zombie burning out in the open, but there was a cave not too far away, so it wasn't quite as strange as the zombie and two Creepers that seemed to have appeared in broad daylight.

Right now, PJ and I are holed up in a little cove in stone in the side of a mountain. When I hole up for the night, and PJ's with me, I always keep him safe, too. I know monsters won't attack him unless he attacks them first, but I still feel better keeping him close to me.

Chapter 39

The map is still going splendidly. Nothing noteworthy happened today, though. I still wonder about those things I found lying around during that ill-fated journey...was He trying to tell me to go back? Was the banishment - and later resetting of my location and belongings - simply a matter of Him taking drastic measures to get me back to PJ? If so, I may not see any more strange things while I explore this map...

Chapter 40

Today was a long day. I found a lava pool - the first one I've ever mapped. I also found more desert area that I appear to have visited before, just beyond the edge of the map I'm currently filling in. Somehow, I know that using maps is the key to finding that long-lost building of mine...

I feel like He must live in the south-eastern quadrant of the world I'm living in. Maybe He has a specific home area in every world, and sometimes it's near the center, and sometimes it's not, which is why sometimes people see Him and sometimes they don't ever. Looking back, I remember finding a couple of yellow flowers already picked when I started my first major journey, which was to find a desert biome. I didn't think much of them at the time - I was still completely new to the well-known aspects of the world of Minecraftia - but now that I think about it, I feel like they must have been in the south-eastern quadrant of the world, too. I think I chalked that up to something to do with lighting issues with flowers at the time...but looking back, I feel like I should have known, even then, that something strange was going on. For me, though, the real clincher is the seeds I found. I mean, mushrooms pop out of the ground on their own if they get too much light, and flowers pop out of the ground on their own if they don't get enough light, and sometimes trees grow too close to lava pools and burn down and saplings get dropped (though I admit I have absolutely no idea how that could have happened in the middle of a gravel beach), but there is nothing that would explain tall grass being destroyed other than something - or someone - actually breaking it. I will see Him someday; I know I will. I can only hope that, when I do, He will approve of me and my lifestyle and not try to kill me.

I can't hear any animals or monsters outside...I have no idea how I'll know when the sun comes up. This traveling log has become essentially a diary. I should finish filling in the part of the map that isn't already filled in on my other map by sunset tomorrow...I'm not sure where I'm going after that...

Chapter 41

Nothing noteworthy today...I'm almost back home. Not sure what I'm doing after that...

Chapter 42

PJ is injured. He's injured and its my fault and now that I've found meat for him I can't find him.

We were going over some mountainous area this morning - I decided to finish filling in the map instead of going home - when I found a zombie that I guess came from a nearby cave coming toward me. I attacked it, forgetting that PJ attacks whatever I attack, and PJ came jumping down from a cliff pretty high up to help, and he was badly injured. I told him to sit and wait for me while I went looking for pigs, since I had no meat with me. It took me all day to find some, but now I don't know how to find PJ again! I feel so bad for him, waiting at the top of a mountain with monsters wandering around, half dead, wondering where I am...I hope I can find him in the morning...

Chapter 43

I was in a panic this morning looking for PJ, but I found him! Between the pigs I found yesterday and the pigs I found today, he's at full health. I don't think I'll be bringing him with me anymore, though - he worries me too much.

I'm home now. It's raining out. I'm not sure what I'll do tomorrow. There is a cave somewhere near my new house...maybe I'll dig through the sand and try to find it.

Chapter 44

What the hell am I doing?

I decided to finish filling in the map of the area around my new home, including the area that is already filled in on my other map. I did finish, but I found a cave that I didn't find when I was filling in the other map. I know I didn't find it last time because there was a brown mushroom growing at the entrance.

So I finished that one map, and I decided to try finishing the other one. I was very close to home, and I'd brought all the mossy cobblestone I'd found with me to drop of in the chest of things I'm going to use for Herobrine's shrine, but I didn't go home to drop off my stuff! What's worse, I found a cave on the way, and for some reason - I don't even know why - I decided to explore it! Now I'm stuck down here, in the bottom of a pit, and there are skeletons nearby - I don't know where they are, but one shot at me a minute ago - I have little to no spelunking supplies, and I'm carrying some very precious materials. I only have a bowl of mushroom stew with me for food!

What was I thinking? Dear Notch, please let me get out of here alive...

Chapter 45

Thank Notch I'm alive! I managed to get out, and I've dropped off my mossy cobblestone. There's a thunderstorm going on outside right now, and I'm smelting the iron I found in that cave. Come to think of it, that cave had potential; I might go back to finish it off. In fact, I think I will. I'll do that in the morning.

Chapter 46

This cave is huge! I've already gone well past the top layer of potential gold-mining. I forgot how difficult it is to explore a huge cave. My method basically involves taking random turns when I come to forks, without leaving any sort of trail to lead me back. It's gotten me into trouble more than once, but in the beginning, there's just so much space to clear, it's crazy.

I've run out of torches. I have some coal I found a little while back and some wooden planks, so I'm going to make myself some more before I continue on. I can hear zombies and skeletons everywhere I go.

Just before I holed myself up to write this, I came across some redstone ore on the floor, and it's a little ways ahead of me right now. The strange thing is, when I first found it, one of the pieces of ore was glowing, as though it had been stepped on; but I didn't fight any creatures that came out of this branch, and the monsters nearby don't seem to have immediate access to this particular section of this cave...

Chapter 47

Haha! I found gold! I got eight pieces, and I've used four pieces to make a clock, so now, I'll always know what time it is!

That said, I might not even make it out of this cave alive. Skeletons and zombies are everywhere, not to mention the occasional Creeper. I've already had to eat my mushroom stew, so unless I find a red mushroom down here (I still have a brown one from before), I'm screwed. I'm also running out of torches, and I only have so many sticks left, so I'm going to have to go back to the surface before long. This is definitely a large cave (as opposed to a small or medium one).

This cave is full of waterfalls and lava pits. I mean, full of them! There are waterfalls everywhere, and nearly all of them leak onto at least one lava pit! I saw some diamond a little way back, but it was directly over some lava, so I doubt I'll be getting to it any time soon. Even more interestingly, though, I found a couple of flowers growing down here. Seriously, there were two flowers growing on a patch of dirt that was basically right over a pit of lava. I'm going to leave them there, since I don't need dandelion yellow dye, and those flowers have worked so hard to grow down here that I'd feel bad about pulling them up.

I'm going to smelt some more iron and make myself a new helmet and pickaxe before I go on, since my current helmet is about to break. I've had to kill skeletons, zombies, and Creepers already, though, oddly enough, I haven't come across any spiders yet. I know I said I don't like to kill, but they would kill me if I didn't kill them first, and self-defense is an acceptable reason even among humans, so Herobrine shouldn't get too mad at me for it.

There's redstone everywhere down here...I really hate redstone, since I have nearly two large chests full of it back at my old house. I'll leave most of it here for now.

Chapter 48

I've found a new way out of this cave, and I'm going to take it now. The sun is setting, so I'm just going to wait on the wall of this very sheer drop for the moment.

I found that diamond I mentioned; just as I thought, it's right over some lava, and I can't think of any way of ensuring that it doesn't burn up if I try to mine it. It's strange really; I gave up on spelunking with the possibility of monsters appearing in so long, and now that I'm not going to cheat anymore in case I find a dungeon, spelunking is too scary for me to even spend time trying to figure out a way to get diamond.

I remember now that I started this journal when I decided to go on a quest for self-redemption...maybe this is how I am to redeem myself: by clearing an entire large cave without cheating. I think that would be a great accomplishment, and one to be proud of. Yes, I think that this is what I need to do to redeem myself.

Chapter 49

It's been so long since I slept in my old bed...not that it really makes much of a difference, but still. I just had to store and grab some materials, and then I'm back to the cave tomorrow.

Chapter 50

I'm back in the cave. I took a different branch this time, and now I have diamond! I have just enough to make a diamond sword, and I think I'll do that before I go any further. I see a skeleton in an area below me, and a zombie is growling not far away, but before now I haven't run into any monsters, so it's been easy spelunking.

It occurs to me that I shouldn't have slept in my old bed last night, given that I left home to redeem myself and so on. Oh well.

Chapter 51

I hate Creepers! They've been ganging up on me down here. Just a minute ago, I went to kill one with my new diamond sword, and another one came up behind me! Good thing I saw it before it blew up close enough to kill me! That said, I've eaten my mushroom stew, and I'm still not at full health; plus, I'd be willing to bet some of my armor is just about gone.

On the other hand, I now have more than enough diamond to make up for what I lost all that time ago. I'm not sure if I should take it and call it good or finish this cave system. It won't be long before I run out of torches again, so maybe I should just go with being done when I run out.

I'm also not sure if I should bother with keeping this journal once I'm done. I'm probably going to go back to digging out that huge area once I get enough glass to cover it, so I shouldn't be doing anything else worth noting. Then again, since I now know He is here, maybe I should keep a log just in case.

Chapter 52

I've run out of torches. I found some gold with my last one, but my iron pickaxe died a little while ago, and while I have plenty of iron, I have no sticks, so I can't make a new one. I somehow doubt I'll be able to find this spot again...oh well. I'm done. If I can just make it back to the surface and to my old house alive, I'll call it good.

It's been nice, journaling my adventures. Maybe I'll keep a log just in case, from now on. For now, though, I'm done with this journey. I have redeemed myself. The end.

Chapter 53

That was close! As soon as I got to the surface, a spider ambushed me. I barely managed to kill it, when suddenly I was attacked by another one! I'm okay now, though, and I'm home. This was a fun journey, in spite of everything. I think I'll go back to my new place for PJ, then go back to digging out the area for my massive shrine. Maybe if I get bored again, I'll go on another trip! For now, I am Aiedale the Wanderer, and my wandering journey, for now, is done.


End file.
